Typewriting machine and case



Aug. 23, 19727. 1,639,761

G. W. CAMPBELL TYPEWRITING MACHINE AND CASE Filed May 11. 1920 J/ J2 Jy Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

UNITED STATES GEORGE W. CAMPBELL, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIG NOR-` TO UNDEBWOOD TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF 1'FJLAWA-Bill.-

TYPEWRITING MACHINE AND CASE.

Application led Hay 11, 1920. Serial No. 380,486.

This invention relates to cases for keyboard machines and is herein disclosed as applied to a carrying case for an Underwood standard portable typewriting ma- 5 chine. Typewriting machines of that character are light and easily carried, but because of their lightness are likely to `be carried thoughtlessly, and so by accidentally hitting fixed objects are sometimes given considerable jars, which, owing to the lightness of the structure, are liable to bend or, injure .some part of the machine.

'.According to the present invention, the machine may be held on a base which forms a convenient support for ordinary typewriting, and a cover may be adapted to catch on said base and be locked down onto vit to hold the typewriting machine, and more especiallyY its carriage, when accidentally jarred, and against any strains brought about by shifting or any tendency to shift relatively to the cover or the base.

In order to relieve the escapement mechanism of any strain which might be `put upon it as a result of a jar means are provided, dependent upon` putting the` cover in place, to release the carriage from the escapement mechanism, and, for this purpose, the cover in this instance is provlded with means for automatically actuating the usual carriage-release-lever when placed upon the base, thus allowing the carriage of the typewriter to be centered b its end by a buler or cushion on the inside of the cover. Since machines of the character described usually have only a single platen finger-wheel, and that one is at the righthand end of the carriage, the cover may be Vprovided with a plate adapted to `bear against said finger-wheel, and depend upon the resiliency of the finger-wheel to absorb any shocks which might be received from 'direct blows on the cover.

To enable the typewriter to be securely held upon the base, which may be of wood, the base may have metal plates let into it, so that screws which .pass through lugs or lips on the frame of the writer may be threaded into the plates and rmlyheld,

with no liketihood of stri the threads out of the plate, as woul the lcase were the screws threaded .directly into the wood of the base.

Since it is desired that cases of this character shall be as light as poible, theA corners of the cover where the sides join each other may be provided with stileners, or corner-pieces which extend down where they -just rest upon the base or upon a rib at the edge of the base where they serve to pro erly space the cover from the base. The sur ace and edges of the base may be entirely free from projections likely to catch either the clothing of the typist or any other material which might be torn or damaged thereby, and, to accomplish this, the cover may be provided with hooks which hook under the back of the base, and may also be provided with a lock having a bolt which projects into the base or the rib at the edge of the base in front., thus providing secure means for holding the cover cornerpieces down upon the base. with the result that a handle attached to the front side of the cover forms a safe and convenient means for carryingthe machine in its case.

For the purpose 'of deadening sound, the typewriting machine proper may be carried upon felt washers or standards. It ma. be held down upon them, not only by the a oresaid screws, vbut by brackets held by the screws threaded into the base both near the front and near the back of the machine, said brackets serving toprevent the machine from twisting on the base. Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying` drawings,

Figure 1 is a sectional, side view of an Underwood portable typewriting machine vin a case of the type described, and shows the carriage as released from the escapement mechanism by the putting on ofthe cover.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic, sectional,

front view of the same, showing the carriagerelease mechanism actuated by the cover.

Figure 3 is a reduced plan view of the base and some members of the typewriting machine frame as mounted thereond The Underwood standard portable writing machine comprises a frame 1 havmg a rontbar 2 and side bars 3 upon which is mounted a shift-frame 4 carrying a carriage.

5. The type-keys are adapted to effect writing upon a work-sheet passed aroun e platen 7, which is adapted to travel along the frame on the carriage 5, being constantly under the tension of a springbarrel 8 connected by a draw-band 9 to the carriage 5.

Normally the carriage is held by its rack 10. which is usually in mesh with a pinion 11 connected to the escapement-'wheel 12, which latter forms part of the escapenient mechanism actuated at every depression of a type-key 6.

Machines of the character described also include shift-keys 13. which are adapted to shift the shift-frame 4 to lift the carriage 5 to enable the typewriting to be eii'ected in upper cases.

According to the present invention, the lips 15 of the inner frame 16 may be provided with openings 17 through which pass long screws 18 threaded into rectangular in'etal plates 19 let into the back or bottom of a suitable base 20, which may advantageously be lnade of wood and covered with leather or imitation leather. The typewriting machine frame 2. 3 is supported clear ot' the base 20 b v washers or standards 21 which are usually7 made of material having a certain resiliency, such as firm though yielding felt. and are held in position by screws :22 projecting through the standard 21 and into the lips 15, there being-a standard 21 near each rear corner of the typewriting inachine, and also one near each edge of the machine near the front row of type-keys 6.

In order to receive the end or twisting thrust ot' the frame during the operation of typewriting. either in letter-feeding` or in returning the carriage, there may be provided rear brackets 23, which, for firmness, are rigidlyv held by four corner-screws 24 to the. base 20. and are each provided with a ribbed upstand'ing tongue 25 having a turned-over lip 26. which is adapted to overlie the rear end of the lip 15 of the inner frame ot' the typewriting machine. and to abut against the inside of the adjacent upstanding plate 2T of said inner frame 16 from which the lip 15 is turned. y

The rear brackets 23 iare advantageously1 made out of thin stamped metal; their ribs 2S, which extend through the center of their bases and up through the lips 26 furnish the adequate stiffness in the light bracket. A front bracket 29 may heprovided to overlie the front end of each lip 15 and steady the machine against twisting by lying against the inside of the front end of the upstanding plate 27. lEach bracket 29 may be rigidly held to the base by two screws 30' threaded into the base 20, each bracket having a lip 31 extending over the adjacent lip 15 in abutting relationship with the plate `27.

In order to lift the rack 10 out of the esc'apement pinion 11 when the cover 31 is usual carriage-release-handle 33, causing said handle to swing downwardly and rock the usual bell-crank 34, to lift the rack 10 shown as carried thereby (Figure 1). This permits the spring-barrel 8 to draw the carriage to the leftl until the end extension 35 of the carriage 5 strikes a buffer or resilientv cushion 36 on the inner face of the left sidewall 37 of the cover 31. Thus, when the cover 31 is placed in position. the spring-barrel 8 draws the carriage 5 against the sidewall 37. I

The opposite. or right-hand side-wall 38 ofthe cover is provided with a butler-plate 39, which may be harder and of leathercovered board. instead of felt like the buliers 36 and 42. and is adapted to t closely against the `usual finger-wheel 40 fast` 0n the usual platen-axle 41, thus holding the carriage against endwise movement on the frame. 4. To -further retard endwise movement of the platen carriage and prevent the shift-frame 4 and carriage 5 from jumping up and down while carrying the machine, there is provided a brake in the form of a resilient cushion or buffer 42 fast to the inside of the top of the cover 31 and adapted to resiliently rest upon the platen 7. and thus hold down the platen and its shiftframe against movement in vertical or horizontal planes.

The rear wall 43 of the cover 31 may be provided with brackets or lingers 44, which are held by screws 45 to the inside of the wall 43 and provided with inwardly-turned ends 46 to bear against sunken wear-plates 47 on the base, which have upturned stinken ends 48 so as to receive and resist the wear of the brackets 44.

To prevent the platen 7 fromv having to receive the whole'thrus't of any load upon the cover 31. there are provided cornerpieces 49. lwhich serve as stileners at the joints between the front wall 50. the sidewalls 37 and 38 and the rear wall 43. these stiil'eners 49 terminating so that they rest on an upturned rib 51, which extends entirely around the margin of the base 2O and s( supports the cover which loosely embraces or fits over the edges of the base. To hold the front wall 50 down sol thatl the whole 115 cover is held securely on the base 20, there is provided a lock 52 having a bolt 53. which is adapted to fit between the bottom and top edges of an opening 54 extending into the rib 51. The bolt53 passes througha plate 55 held by screws 56 to thefrib 51. so'that-the plate 55 receives the direct wear of the bolt 53.

In order that the base 2() ma;7 not mar a table or other object on which the base 20 is 1 placed when it is desired to typewrite or to rest the case, the base is provided with slightly projecting broad rubber-feet 57, having ribs which extend from front to back, thus resisting the ltendency of the machine to twist the base upon the table while the machine is being used fortypewriting.

For, carrying the case, the front wall 50 may be .provided with'a strap-handle 59 of any suitable kind, thus enabling the machine to be conveniently carried in its case while it is firmly held against rattlingor jumping around, because it is firmly' held not only by the screws 18, the brackets 23 and but also by the buffers 36, 42 and 39. The strap 59 may be held to the cover by stirrnps` 60. overlying its ends and having legs 61 which project through the front wall 50 and are bent over a metal plate or plates 62 inside the cover. Y

The structure described above provides a cover which isadapted to be put onto the machine by first catching its brackets 44 under the back of the base, and then swinging it down forward over the base, and locking it in place. It isrfound that the cover may advantageously have a play of about.

anei'ghth of an inch around the edges of the base 20.

The typewriting machine is easily placed in position upon the base by first fastening the brackets 2 3 in place to fit another machine or a dummy, and then slipping in the machine so as to catch its lips 15 under the lips 2,6 of the brackets 23, and then putting in place the brackets 29 and the screws 18. The lips 26 may be provided with resilient buffers 63, seen in Figure 1, which enable the lips 15 to be more firmly wedged in place beneath the lips 26 and compensate for any looseness due to any difference in the effective height of the standards 21 or brackets" 23. The machine is removable `from the base by simply removing the screws 18 and butone of the screws 30 from each of the front brackets 29, preferably the screw' 30 nearest the lips 31", so that the other screw 30 acts as a pivot in turning the brackets 29 inwardly away from the lips 15. All of these screws are readily accessible from above. The cover' may be made of any suitable 'materiaL but wood, about threesixteenths of an inch thick, has been found very satisfactory, while the base is advantageously made of wood ahd considerably thicker. The cover and the base Amaybe `both covered with 'leather or imitation leather. thus making a very attractive casing for the typewriting machine, and servingA to bind the walls of the cover together.

Variations may be resorted Vto within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, Iv

claim:

1. A casing to carry a typewriting machine including a platen carriage, a removable cover including sides for said casing. a base for the casing, an upturned rib extending around the margin of the base over which the sides of the cover lit, hooks on the coverto engage the base n the side parallel to carriage travel, corne stiffening pieces joining the sides and restingr on the upturned rib to hold up the cover. a lock on the side opposite the hooks to hold the cover down. and a `vielding buffer on the cover to engage the platen to hold the machine in place.

2. A casing adapted to carry a. typewriting machine, including a carriage. a driving spring, an escapement and a carriage-rc-` lease-lever, said casing comprising a base, a cover having ends, means on the cover adapted to automatically actuate the release-lever when the cover is placed in position on the base` a resilient buifer in the inner face of the left side-wall of the cover adapted' to hold the carriage against the tension of its spring. sothat it is confined at the opposite end, a buffer in the inner face of the right side of the'cover abutting against the {ingerwheel on the platen-axle, confining the carriage against endwise movement on the shift-A frame, and a resilient buffer on the inside of the top of the cover pressing upon the platen and holding the latter and shift-frame against movements in vertical and horizontal planes.

3. A casing adapted'to carry a typewriting machine, including a frame having lips extending inwardlv from the lower edges of the sides thereof, said casing comprising a base` forwardly-extending stationary brackets fast in said base having rigid portions adapted to receive the rear ends of said lips when the machine is shoved rearwardly to a position to render the brackets inaccessible, and detachable brackets having rigid portions to engage the forward lends of said lips beneath the sides of the keyboard to hold 4the typewriting machine against movement on the base.

v 4t. A carrying case for a typewriting machine including a frame having inwardlyextending lips. said case comprising a base, stationary brackets fast in said base and having rigid portions detachably engageable with said lips inpabutting relation with said frame to hold the typewriting machine against-moving on the base. metal plates in said base. and screws insertible through the lips and threadable into said plates to hold the typewriting machine downv on the base, said screws being accessible from above. 5. A carrying case for al typewriting` machine including a frame and a shiftable plat en, saidy case comprising a base having an upturned marginal rib, means for fastening the frame to said base, a cover having a top and sides, the lower portions of said sides surrounding the edges of said. base, stiffening members at said sides to relieve the sides of the weight of said top and support said weight upon y,said marginal rib, means for detachably holding the cover in place upon the base. and a resilient buffer on the inside of said cover top to bear upon the top of the platen when said cover is closed. A

6. A carrying case for a portable type-- writing machine comprising, in combination, a typewriter base-board and a typewriter cover detaehably joined thereto by a catch provided upon t-he interior wall of the cover, said catch including an inwardly-extending hook upon which the bottom of the baseboard may rest, and means for fastening the cover to the base-board at another point, said base-board being locked within the sides of the cover, so that said cover supports the. weight of the typewriter when carried.

7. A carrying case having a baseboard for securing a typewriter thereonr a cover-portion encircling the baseboard, and means within the cover-portion to firmly grip the rear edge of the baseboard against relative movement, said means including detents on the rear wall of the coverportion for engagement with the lower face ofthe baseboard and corner-pieces within the coverportion for engagement with the upper surface ofthe baseboard.

8. In a casing for a typewriting machine, a baseboard and a detachable cover therefor, the baseboard having a centra-l depression therein providing an upstanding ledge around the perimeter thereof for positioning v(the machine, detents rigidly secured to the,

inner face of the rear wall of the cover to engage the under surface of the baseboard, and corner-pieces on the rear wall of the cover to abut the upstanding ledge on the rear edge of the baseboard, so that upon the cover being drawn forwardly and. at an angle over the baseboard the comer-pieces will coact with the detente to firmly grip the rear edge ofthe baseboard.A

9. A carrying case including a baseboard for a. typewriter, a cover-portion fitting 4 down over the baseboard, said coverinclllding means on the inner wall constitutin a bght into which a side of the baseboa is wedged.

10. A carrying case having a baseboard for securing a typewriter thereon, a cover.d portion encircling the baseboard, detents on the rear wall of the cover-portion for en, 

